Camera stop device



Nov. 8, 193s.

vA. c. HANscH Er AL CAMERA STOP DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1957 I5 Sheets-*Sheet l INVENTORS ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1938. A. c. HANscH ET AL CAMERA STOP DEVICE Filed Feb- 25, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS NOV. 8, 1938. A C HANSCH ET AL 2,135,507

lQAMERA sTP DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1937 5 SheetsSheet 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. s, 1938 c 2,135,507

UNITED STATES PATENT AOFI-ICE CAMERA STOP DEVICE August C. Hansch, Cliiside, and Henry `E. Hansch, Whippany, N.- J.; said August C. Hansen assigner to Frank J. McCann and John` F.y Monahan f Application rFebruary 25, 1937, Serial No. 127.710

16 Claims. (Cl.` 95.-64)

This invention relates to a stop device which means and for adjusting the stop device with refwhile not necessarily restricted thereto is prierence to the lens so as to insure proper regisrnarily designed for cameras employed in the protration of the Stop Openings in the lenS- duction of screen negatives or positives, the same A still further object of the invention resides being an improvement upon a similar device disin the provision 0f a Slotted housing for a Camera 5 closed in our copending application, Serial No. stOpdevice through Which the Stop element ex- 76,446, filed April 25, 1936. tends, with yieldable non-shock transmitting The invention has reference to a camera for means engaging or in substantiel engagement the photographic production of screen negatives With the Stop element adjacent the Slot for eX- 0r positives by the sucessiv@ exposure 0f a film Cllldlllg 'the entrance 0f undesirable light; and its l0 or plate through a plurality of stop openings, possibility of reaching the lens and blurring the which is eiiected by employing a movable stop irnge-- e element having a plurality of fixed stop openings AS a further feature the invention Compreof varioussizes mounted for step by step guided hendS a magneti@ Stop Plate holder Which funcmovement through e slot in the lens barrel betions to greatly facilitate the Operation of chanelo tween the components of the camera lens. ing the Stop plates. t

The present invention is particularly directed With the abOVe enumerated and other ObjeCtS to an improved means for supporting the stop neview, the invention is more particularly setI dement and he mechanism for aeiuating the forth in the following specication, illustrated in 2O same, so as to preclude the transmission of shocks the accompanying droWingS and pointed Ont in 20 er jars t0 the Camera and camera iens which may the appended claims which areintended to cover result in a blurred image, variations and modifications falling within the The invention further providesy in a stop device SCope 0f the invention` of the indicated character, means for arresting In the drawings! i the movement of the stop element with the stop Fig. l iS a front View of the Stop device With 25 openings successively in registry with the camera. the housing ShoWn in Section and the Stop elelens which means is so constructed, arranged and ment 1n broken lines.

mounted as to absorb the snoek or jar incident Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View therethrough to the arresting of the movement of the stop eletaken apprOXimately 0n the lint` 2-2 of Fig. 1. ment to prevent transmission of shocks and jars Fig- 3 iS an enlarged horizontal Seetional View 30 t0 the Camera, and Camel-316115, taken approximately 0I] the line 3-3 0f Fig. 1.

More specifically the invention provides in a Fig. 4 is a. vertical sectional view taken approxistop device, a mounting for the stop element and mately 0n the line 4--4 0f Fig. 2. f guide means for 'the arresting means which Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View mounting is resiliently suspended in surrounding taken oDDrOXInately on the line 5--5 of Fig- 1- 35 -spaced relation to the lens barrel whereby shocks Fig- 6 iS o front View of the Stop rplete holder. it and jars incident to the operation of the stop Fig.7 isavertical sectional View taken approxidevice are effectually absorbed by the suspension mately on the line 7-l 0f Fg- 2- means so as to positively insulate the camera and Fis. 8 is a fragmentary rear face view of a stop camera lens therefrom while insuring the proper element enld arresting means therefor diSClOSing 40 registration of the stop openings with the camera a modified adaptationof the invention.` lens, i r Referring to the drawings by characters of AS a further feature the invention comprereference, IIJ designates the front board of a hends in a stop device which includes a retrac- Carnero to WhiCh iS rigidly attached the base tible latch adapted to engage with the stop eleplate Il 0fv a lens barrel I2 having a vertical pas- 45 ment fory successively arresting the `movement SageWay I3 located between the front and rear thereof, spring means which, in addition to pro lens Components I4 and |5- A Stop element jecting the latch into stop element arresting l5 having Dlilrality of Stop openings Il iS position, functions to provide a shock absorbing adapted for movement through the passageway medium which accurately disposes and supports I3 to successively dispose the stop openings in 5() the stop element in its successive'pre-determined registration with the camera lens. relations to the camera lens. f The invention consists of an improved means The invention further makes provision for ad-y for supporting and guiding the stop element I6 'justing the tension of the shock absorbing means with reference to the lens barrel and camera, of the mounting and of the stop element arresting which means includes a mounting ring I8 sur- 55 rounding the lens barrel and resiliently suspended in spaced relation thereto by a plurality of pairs of radial outwardly exten'ding springs I9, the springs of each pair being connected at their inner ends 20 with the mounting rin" at axially spaced points and conn'ected at their outer ends 2| with the hooked terminals of a threaded stud 22 which engages in a boss 23 of a sleeve 2l. Each sleeve 24 is anchored against radial movement to the fixed rim 2l of the lens barrel base il, but is adjustable longitudinally towards and away from the base by a screw 2i which swivelly engages bearing bosses 21 on the rim 25.

A removable annular covering flange 2l is secured to the forward edge of the rim 25, with its inner periphery being of slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the mounting ring Il and the covering flange is provided with forwardly protruding yieldable bearing gasket sections 29 of sponge rubber or any equivalent material to serve this purpose.

A mounting plate 30 is secured by screws 3i to the mounting ring Il and the central portion of the mounting plate is centrally cut out as at 32 to provide an opening which is of sufficient size to provide a clearance between the lens barrel and the mounting plate. The rear surface of the mounting plate 30 engages with the yieldable gasket sections 29 and it will thereby be observed that a mounting assemblage is provided and supported in juxtaposition to the lens barrel and lenses in such a manner as to preclude the transmission of shocks or jars to the camera or camera lens frori the mounting.

On the forward surface of the mounting plate 30, vertically spaced pairs of guide sheaves 3l are mounted for guiding the stop element I8 through the lens barrel passageway I2, while maintaining the stop element out of contact with the lens barrel. The guide sheaves are rotatably mounted in forked bearings 34 which are carried by leaf springs 35 anchored to lugs 38 projecting forwardly from the forward surface of the mounting plate 30 and set screws 31 are utilized to adjust the tension of the sheaves 33 against the opposite side edges of the stop element Il.

The opposite side edges of the stop element Ii are provided with keeper notches 38 and 3S with which projectible and retractible latches 40 and 4i are alternately engaged and released respectively to effect a step by step gravitational movement of the stop plate through the lens barrel passageway so as to successively dispose the stop openings I1 in registration with the camera lens. The latches 40 and Il protrude through openings 42 and 43 on diametrically opposed aides of the lens barrel and said openings are of a sufcient size to provide ample clearance for said latches to prevent any possibility of contact of the same with the lens barrel.

It is apparent that in arresting the. gravitational movement of the stop plate, vibrations or shocks and jars may result which if allowed to be transmitted to the lens barrel, lenses or camera, would result in a blurred negative or positive. In order to absorb the shocks and jars incident to the arresting of the gravitational movement of the stop element I6, each latch is resiiiently supported on the forward surface of the mounting .plate 30. As shown, the means of support for each latch consists of a pair of oppositely wound spiral springs 4I and l5, the outer terminals of which springs are secured to the upper and lower sides of the latches and the inner terminals of which are secured respectively to shafts I6 and 41 journaled in bearing bosses 4l on the forward surface of the mounting plate 30 and journaled in the face plates I9 which are supported forwardly of the bearing plate. The shafts 46 and I1 protrude forwardlyffrom the face plates I9 and are provided with kerfed forward ends 50 for rotatlng the shafts to vary the tension of the spiral springs'. The forwardly protruding portions of the shafts have secured thereto ratchet disks 5| with which the pawls 52 engage to secure the adjustment of the spring tension.

It will be observed that the spiral springs are coiled in directions to exert a tension for normally projecting the latches into engagement with the opposite side edges of the stop element I6, while at the same time said springs function to permit the latches to yield downwardly under the weight of the stop element when arresting the downward movement thereof.

In order to insure the proper registration of the axis of the stop opening with the axis of the camera lens, a pair of upper guides 53 and 54 cooperate with the upper surface of each latch. The guides 53 are mounted for vertical adjustment on the lugs 36 by means of screws extending through slotted portions thereof. The guides 5I are also adjustable and are here shown as screws threaded through a bearing lug 55 carried by the forward face of the mounting plate 80.

The outer end of each of the latches 40 and Il is provided with a depending finger 58 having an adjustable contact screw 51 with which a lever 50 is adapted to engage for retracting the latch against the tension of the springs M and I5. 'I'he levers 5I are fulcrumed as at 59 intermediate their ends and the lower ends are coupled together by a transversely movable shift rod 60 which is provided with an intermediate abutment element 6|. Any desired means for alternately shifting the shift rod 60 may be utilized, but as herein conventionally illustrated, the same consists of a vacuum motor 82 having a pair of arms $3 and 6l. It is obvious that when the arm 63 is swung to the right, as shown in Fig. 1, the shift rod is moved to the right hand position shown which causes the upper end oi' the left hand lever 58 to be moved to the left thereby retracting the latch Il. Coincident with this movement of the left hand lever 58, the upper end of the right hand lever moving to the left will permit the springs Il and l5 to exert their normal tension to project the latch l0 into operative position.

From the foregoing it will thus be apparent that the shocks and jars incident to the arresting of the gravitational movement of the stop element I6 will be absorbed and dissipated by the springs M and l5, but if perchance the entire shock or jar is not absorbed by said springs, the remainder will be transmitted to the mounting plate 10 and mounting ring III which due to its resilient mounting with reference to the lens barrel and camera will preclude any possibility of vibration being transmitted to the lenses or camera. The vacuum motor 62 being also secured to and carried by the mounting plate. will insulate the lenses and camera from vibrations in the operation of said motor.

The guide sheaves Il and the latches l0 and Il together with their actuating means are housed by a casing section 65 secured to the mounting plate 30 and provided with an opening 66 in its forward wall surrounding the lens barrel through which it protrudes. The opening 66 is spaced from the lens barrel and the space therebetween is closed by a yieldable resilient gasket 61 of sponge rubber or an equivalent material which excludes the entrance of light in this region, While preventing the transmission of shocks through the casing section to the lens barrel. The upper and lower portions of the casingsection 65 are provided with slots 66 and 69 through which the stop plate extends and means is provided adjacent said slots for excluding the light which means consists of pairs of brushes 10 and 1| having flexible bristles 12 and 13 which extend into contact with each other and provide flexible light excluding means engageable with the stop element I6.

By virtue of the foregoing construction, it will be appreciated that the stop element I6 with its supporting, guiding and actuating means is so mounted as to insulate the .lens barrel, lens and camera from any possible shocks or jars incident to the operation vof the stop device.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 8, an alternative form of stop element arresting means is shown in which the stop element 15 is 'provided with longitudinally extending rims 16 at its opposite side edges having keeper notches 11 at the inner edges of said rims. In lieu of the projectible and retractible latches 40 and 4|, a spring is provided, having an intermediate loop 19 which is attached to a lever 80 fulcrumed as at 8|. The spring 18 is provided with terminals 82 and 83 which are adapted to alternately engage with the keeper notches 11k when the lever is tripped from one angular position to the other, Obviously, inl this form of arresting means, the spring 18 will provide a resilient shock absorbing means when arresting the movement of the stop element, while providing a tension lat its opposite terminals to shift the same into the keeper notches as said notches register with the terminals during the gravitationll descent of the stop element.

As particularly illustratedin Fig. 6 of the drawings, the stop element I6 preferably includes a holdery 90 with which a pluralityof removable stop plates |B having stopopenings I1 of various sizes and shapes are selectively associated, the said stop plates are adapted to be positioned between the longitudinally extending side ledges 6| and engage at their lower ends with a lower ledge 92 and are held in position by a permanent magnet 93 which is secured to the holder, it being understood that the stop plates are of a material which is subject to magnetic attraction.

What is claimed is:

1. In a camera stop device, a stop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings, means for guiding the stop element for movement to successively dispose the stop openings in registration with the camera' lens, means resiliently supporting said guiding means, means for arresting the movement of the stop element, a mounting for said arresting means, and spring supporting means carriediby the camera for resiliently suspending the mounting with reference to and independent of the camera lens barrel so as to absorb shocks and jars incident to the operation of the stop device.

2. .In a camera stop device, a stop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings, means for guiding the stop element for movement to successively dispose the stop openings in registration with the camera lens, means for arresting the movement of the stop element, a mounting therefor surrounding the camera lens barrel in spaced relation thereto, means carried by the camera resiliently suspending the mounting together with the arresting means and the stop element for absorbing shocks and jars incident to the operation of the stop device, and resilient means on said mounting for resiliently supporting the stop element arresting means and for absorbing shocks incident to the arresting of the movement of the stop element.

3. 'in a camera stop device, a stop element provided with a plurality of fixed stop openings and .having gravitational movement to successively dispose the stop openings in registration with the carriera lens, means for arresting the movement of the stop element, a mounting therefor, and cooperating means carried by the mounting and the camera for supporting and resiliently suspending the mounting with reference to the camera lens barrel so as to absorb shocks and jars incident to the operation of the'stop device.

4. In a camera stop device, a stop element provided with a plurality of fixed stop openings and having gravitational movement to rsuccessively dispose the stop openings in registration with the camera lens, means for guiding the stop element between the camera lens and for arresting the movement of the stop element, a mounting therefor having a casing surrounding the camera lens and provided with -oppositely disposed slots through which the stop element extends, and means carried by the camera for supporting/the mounting, the casing and stop element lguiding and arresting means and for resiliently suspending the same with reference to the camera lens barrel so as to absorb shocks and jars incidentlto the operation of the stop device.

5. In a camera stop device,'a stop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings means for guiding the stop element for movement to successively dispose the 'stop openings in registration with the camera lens, means for arresting the movement of the stop element, a mounting therefor surrounding the camera lens barrel, and radially disposed resilient means connecting the mounting and camera for suspending and sustaining said mounting in spaced relation to the lens barrel to absorb shocks and jars incident to the operation of the stop device. 6. In a camera stop device of the character set forth, a stop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings, means for guiding the stop element, retractible latch means adapted to engage with the stop element to successively arrest the movement thereof, a mounting for said guide and latch means, means connected between the camera and mounting for supporting and resiliently suspending the mounting in surrounding relation'to the camera lens barrel to absorb shocks and jars incident to the operation'of the stop device, and springy means carried by the mounting for projecting the latch means to arresting position and for absorbing shocks incident to the arresting movement of the stop element.

7. In a camera stop device of the character set forth, astop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings, means for guiding the stop element, retractible latch means adapted to engage with the stop element to successively arrest the movement thereof', a mounting for said guide and latch means resiliently suspended in surrounding relation to the camera lens barrel to absorb shocks and jars incident to the operation of the stop device, and opposed coiled spring means for projecting the latch means to arresting position and for absorbing shocks incident to the arresting movement of the stop element.

8. In a camera stop device of the character set forth, a stop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings, means for guiding the stop element, retractible latch means adapted to engage with the stop element to successively arrest the movement thereof, a mounting for said guide and latch means resiliently suspended in surrounding relation to the camera lens barrel to absorb shocks and jars incident to the operation of the stop device, spring means for projecting the latch means to arresting position and for absorbing shocks incident to the arresting movement of the stop element, and means for adjusting the tension of the resiliently suspended mounting and the spring means.

9. In a camera, a lens barrel having a passageway extending completely therethrough perpendicular tothe axis thereof, a stop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings, means for supporting said stop element for guided step by step movement through said passageway to successively dispose the stop openings in registration with the camera lens, a mounting for said supporting means, means carried by said mounting for excluding light from entering through said passageway and means connected between the camera and the mounting for resiliently suspending the mounting in surrounding spaced relation to the camera lens barrel.

l0. In a camera, a lens barrel having fixed relation to the camera and provided with a passageway extending completely therethrough perpendicular to the axis thereof, a mounting surrounding the lens barrel, a plurality of radial outwardly extending springs connected at their inner ends with said mounting and anchored at their outer ends to supports fixed to the camera for resiliently suspending the mounting in spaced relation to the lens barrel, a stop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings, and means carried by the mounting for supporting said stop element for guided step byv step movement through said passageway to successively dispose the stop openings in registration with the camera lens.

1l. In a camera, a lens barrel having fixed relation to the camera and provided with a passageway extending completely therethrough perpendicular to the axis thereof, a mounting surrounding the lens barrel, a plurality of pairs of radial outwardly extending springs, each pair of springs being connected at their nner ends with said mounting at axially spaced points and converging outwardly and anchored at their outer ends to supports having adjustable fixed relation with the camera for resiliently suspending the mounting in spaced relation to the lens barrel, a stop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings, and means for supporting said stop element for guided step by step movement through said passageway to successively dispose the stop openings in registration with the camera lens.

l2. In a camera stop device, a lens barrel having oppositely disposed slots, lens components supported by the barrel on opposite sides of said slots, a stop element, a housing having oppositely disposed slots registering with the lens barrel slots through which the stop element extends, and yieldable means adjacent the housing slots engageable with the stop element for preventing unrefracted light from entering through said slots and striking the rear lens component.

13. In a camera stop device, a lens barrel having oppositely disposed slots, lens components supported by the barrel on opposite sides of said i,

slots, a stop element, a housing surrounding the lens barrel and provided with oppositely disposed slots in registry with the barrel slots and through which slots the stop element extends, and pairs of brushes carried by the housing adjacent the slots therein and having resilient bristles arranged in confronting relation with each other and on opposite sides of the said slots for preventing access of light into the lens barrel between the lens components through said housing slots.

14. In a camera stop device, a stop element provided with a plurality of fixed stop openings, means for guiding the movement of the stop element to successively dispose the stop openings in registration with the camera lens, means for arresting the movement of said stop clement, means for adjusting said last named means so as to effeet proper registry of said stop openings with the lens, and a mounting for said stop element guiding and arresting means resiliently suspended with reference to the camera lens barrel.

15. In a camera stop device, a stop element including a stop plate having a plurality of fixed stop openings and a holder therefor having laterally spaced side ledges and a lower ledge for properly positioning and maintaining the same in a predetermined relation to the stop holder, a fixed magnet on said holder for detachably connecting the stop plate therewith, and means for guiding and arresting the movement of said stop element to successively dispose the stop openings of the stop plate in registration with the camera lens.

16. In a camera stop device, a stop element having a plurality of fixed stop openings, means for guiding the stop element for movement to successively dispose the stop openings in registration with the camera lens, and means for arresting the movement of said stop element including notched portions of the stop element, a pivoted trip lever, a spring having an intermediate looped portion secured to said lever, and free terminals adapted to be alternately shifted to a position to spring into engagement with the notched portions of the stop element.

AUGUST C. HANSCH. HENRY E. HANSCH. 

